


Then Draw the Model

by Mara



Category: Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 19:37:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3822358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trent gets a great new comic gig. There's just one little catch...well, two really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Then Draw the Model

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kiirotsubasa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiirotsubasa/gifts).



> Gigantic thanks to TheSecondBatgirl, who gave me the idea for this story when I was flailing a bit about what to write :)

Trent picked up the ringing cell with his left hand without putting down the pen in his right. He was on a _roll_ , damn it, and he didn't need to be interrupted. "Trent Fernandez," he said, sketching in the outline of the tiger rising behind his hero.

"Trent," a familiar voice boomed.

"Hey, Ed." Trent smiled. "There isn't a problem with the pages I just sent, is there? Cynthia confirmed their arrival via e-mail."

"No no, no problem, they're great."

"Oh good." Trent diverted half his attention back to the tiger's jaw.

"They're so great, in fact, that I’m calling to offer you an additional title. A new title."

Trent paused. "Wow, what title?"

"We've decided it's time to do a Power Rangers comic and we want you to pencil and ink it."

Caught halfway through a breath, Trent started to cough. Finally getting his breath back, Trent thought about the rent bill coming due and managed to get a reasonably convincing amount of pleasure into his voice. "That's great!"

"We thought about asking you to write it as well, but we'd like you to work with one of our newer writers. I think you'll be a good team."

"Sure, who is it?"

"Adam Park."

The name was vaguely familiar. "Sure, that'd be great."

* * *

After hanging up, Trent put down his pen with care, pushed back from his drawing table, and had a quiet panic attack.

"Rent, groceries, new pens, rent, groceries, new pens," he chanted to himself. "It'll be fine." He could call his dad and ask for money, but...he didn't want to. He wanted to make it on his own.

The phone rang again and Trent jumped, sure it was one of his teammates, but he didn't recognize the number. "Trent Fernandez," he said automatically.

"Hi, this is Adam Park. Ed said he was going to speak to you?"

"We just got off the phone."

"You took the job?"

There was something odd in the other man's voice and Trent frowned. "Yes, I did."

"Then we'll be working together. So, uh, can we talk over some ideas for the comic?"

"Sure. Uh." Trent rubbed his face.

"Sorry, you said you'd just talked to him, so you probably haven't had a chance to think." 

"No, it's okay." Trent couldn't shake the feeling the other man was...nervous? Maybe he was just socially awkward. He wouldn't be the first comic writer like that. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, first we need to pick which team we're going to use. What about Lightspeed Rescue? Their identities are public."

For a second, Trent cheered up at the thought, but... "Then we'll have to write and draw fiction about real people who are still alive."

"Damn." Adam sighed.

"Maybe we should start with the first team."

"I don't..."

"Hmm?" Trent scowled down at the half-finished tiger and put down his pen. Clearly he wasn't going to get any more drawing done in the immediate near future.

"Never mind. Maybe we could choose one of the later teams. I'm not, I don't know if I want to write about Rita Repulsa."

Trent shrugged mentally. "Which team did you have in mind?"

"There were the animal ones a few years ago."

Trent closed his eyes. He'd met Casey and RJ for the first time a few months ago. "Mmm."

"Or the dinosaur ones? Dinosaurs are cool."

"No!" Trent winced. "Um, I mean I feel like dinosaurs are overdone. Clichéd. Weren't there cars?"

"Not the cars."

A long silence and Trent stared off into... "What about the space ones? Spaceships are good too."

"I know!" Adam sounded excited. "What about the colony ship?"

Trent smiled, relieved. He didn't know anything about that team, other than what he'd seen on the news. "That's a great idea. We can get a lot of good stories about a new colony on a new planet."

"Great. I'll throw together some draft storylines."

"I'll dig up TV footage of their uniforms and what we know about the look of the colony."

"I can get footage from NASADA," Adam said. "I've got a friend with connections there."

Relieved, Trent said, "Great, thanks. I've got to finish up half an issue of _Impact_ first, but we'll talk in a few days?"

"Okay, talk to you soon."

Right. He could do this. It wasn't going to be at all weird to draw other Rangers.

Oh hell, his team was going to laugh _so_ much.

* * *

Trent thought about avoiding the issue as long as he could, but decided it was better to get it over with. Grabbing a Diet Coke, he leaned against a windowsill, staring down at the midday traffic. He still wasn't used to the city, he thought as he dialed the first number.

"Trent, hi!" Kira said, picking up immediately.

"Hey there." He couldn't help the indulgent smile that spread across his face. "How's the most talented singer-songwriter I know?"

"Okay, got a few gigs, the usual. How are you?"

Trent took a drink. "I've got a new gig too."

"That's great! Doing what?"

"Drawing a new Power Rangers comic."

Kira was silent and Trent could hear people talking in the background. He took another drink. Eventually she said "What?"

"A Power Rangers comic. There was one that failed back in the 90s, but—"

"They asked you to draw the Power Rangers."

"Mmm-hmm."

"That's..."

"Yeah."

Kira laughed. "Oh, Trent."

"The writer and I just compromised on the team that went on a colony ship. I don't know them."

"I think I met their Green a few years ago. Do you want an intro?"

"Heck no!"

She laughed again. "It'll be fine."

"I suppose so." Sighing, Trent moved to the couch and slumped down. "Now I need to call the others."

"Conner and Ethan are going to tease you."

"I know. I figured it'd be better to let them get it out of their system now." He stared up at the ceiling with the irritating stain he always intended to paint over. Or change into an airplane shape. Or something.

"It really will be okay," Kira said, her voice as soothing to his nerves as ever.

"I know."

"Then let the other boys tease you and get back to work."

Trent grinned. Trust Kira to know just what to say. "Aye aye, boss."

"Oh you. Hey, I'm gonna be on the East Coast next month. I'll get to see you, right?"

"Absolutely. Send me your schedule and we'll figure something out. Talk to you later."

"Later." Trent ended the call and dialed Conner before he lost his nerve. It rang through to voice mail. "Hey, it's Trent. Wanted to give you my latest news before you heard it somewhere else. They want me to draw a new Power Rangers comic. Can you believe it? Talk to you soon."

Drinking the rest of his soda, he dialed Ethan's number.

"Hey, dude, I'm in the middle of a coding binge, can this wait?" Ethan wasn't big on the pleasantries when he was short on sleep.

It was tempting to delay, but Trent took a breath. "I just wanted to let you know I got hired to draw a new Power Rangers comic."

The frantic clicking on the other end of the line came to an abrupt halt. "What?"

"Right, then. I'll let you get back—"

"Oh no, you're not getting away _that_ easily." Ethan's cackle hadn't changed a bit.

"Yes, it's hilarious. I know."

"It's the funniest thing I've heard all year."

"I'm glad to provide you with amusement." Trent rolled his eyes, propping his legs up on the small coffee table, knocking over a pile of books. He winced.

"You can make yourself so much cooler now."

"I'm not doing a comic about our team!"

"Why not? I thought they say write what you know?"

"Not literally. Anyway, we're doing the colony ones."

"Hmm, I don't know any of them, do I?"

"Kira said she met Green."

"Oh! Right, Kira and I met—"

"Don't tell me," Trent yelped. "I don't want to know anything that might influence me."

"Okay, whatever you say. But you'll probably meet them at some point."

Smacking his forehead, Trent groaned. "Oh god, I'm going to lose my invite to every picnic and barbecue forever, aren't I?"

"Hayley won't abandon you. Well, at least when she gets back from Aquitar, she won't."

"How can I face anyone?"

"It'll be—" Ethan's voice was cut off by a beep.

Trent pulled the phone away from his ear and looked. "Hey, Conner's calling."

Ethan laughed. "Tell him hi."

"Will do. Later." Trent picked up the call from their former Red. "Hey, Conner."

Through peals of laughter, Conner managed to get out "A Power Rangers comic."

"Yeah, laugh it up."

"Oh, I _am._ "

"I knew you would." Trent sighed. Why was he friends with these people?

"Hey." Conner's laughter slowed. "Are you okay? I was just—"

"It's okay." Right, that's why they were friends. "I'm just kind of weirded out, that's all."

"You're not going to give away your identity, idiot." Conner snorted.

Trent took a breath. "You're right."

"Of course I am."

The headache that had been building eased up. "You're always right. Like the time you swore you wouldn't get drunk from wine coolers."

"I didn't know the ones Ethan bought were so high-test!"

"Uh-huh."

"But back to the way you get to draw Power Rangers. You can make your dick bigger in costume. It'll be great."

"Why does everyone think I'm going to draw us?"

"Because it's more fun to tease you this way?" Conner snickered. It sounded like he was getting out of a car. "Hey, I've got some kids to teach. Seriously, good luck."

"Thanks, man. Have a good class."

Hanging up, Trent took several deep breaths, looked at his watch, and dialed another number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dr. O, it's Trent."

"Trent! Good to hear from you. How are you?" A jingling sound that was probably keys and Trent could see in his mind his former teacher opening the front door of his house.

"I'm doing good. Working hard. Which is why I'm calling."

"What's up?"

"Well, I...this new job is sort of problematic."

"Interesting word choice."

"It's an interesting job. They want me to draw a Power Rangers comic."

Dr. O didn't say anything and Trent could hear him close the front door and drop something in the hallway.

"It's not our team. Or any team you were on," Trent said rather desperately.

"That's good. I suppose..." He paused. "It should be okay."

"But weird."

"Mmm." Dr. O chuckled. "I'm not mad, you know."

"That's good." Trent grinned at his own tone. "It's just weird. I was talking with the guy who'll be writing and I had this panicked moment of worrying he would figure out my secret identity just from talking with me."

"You're not writing?"

"Just pencilling and inking. A guy named Adam Park will be the writer. He's done—"

" _What_?"

Trent blinked. "What's wrong?"

"Did you say Adam Park?" Dr. O sounded like he was being strangled. 

"Yeah, he's been doing some straight superhero stuff for the past year or two, so our paths haven't crossed before."

"Adam. Park."

"We've established that."

"He's about my age?"

"I think so." Trent frowned, trying to remember what he knew about the guy, which wasn't much. "I'd have to google him to be sure. You know him, then?"

"Do me a favor and look him up right now."

Shrugging, Trent dragged himself off the couch and over to his laptop, which was resting on his bed. After three tries, he found a page that included a short bio. "Your age and grew up in Angel Grove."

There was a strange sound and then Dr. O was laughing so hard it sounded like he was having trouble breathing. "Yeah, Trent, you could say I know him," he finally managed to say.

* * *

Still snickering, Trent lay back on the couch and dialed his phone yet again.

"Hey," Adam said. "Nice to hear from you so soon. I hope nothing's wrong."

"I figured we could compare notes." Trent's grin was probably audible.

"Okay." The other man sounded understandably wary.

It was cruel, but... "I hear you grew up in Angel Grove while the Power Rangers were active."

"That's true."

"I was living in Reefside when the Power Rangers were active, so we could talk about that!"

Adam made a sound that could be described as a choking gasp. "Sure," he managed. "But I thought you didn't want—"

"Did you get to meet them? The Rangers in Angel Grove seemed friendly." Trent was enjoying himself _so much_.

"Well, I—"

"I know the team changed a few times. Do you know anything about that?"

Adam's voice cut through his amused babble. "What are you talking about?"

"Your public bio is missing a few details. So is mine. Like my friendship with my former science teacher."

An intake of breath. "What game are you playing?"

"I talked to Dr. O this afternoon and he sends his regards. He said he was calling Rocky. And Aisha."

"You were in Reefside." Adam sounded like he wanted to curse.

"Yeah. Dr. O and I both started out working for the other side."

"You were White," Adam said slowly.

"And you were Black and Green." Trent chuckled. "Sorry, I couldn’t resist."

"I don't think Tommy specifically said your names. Or if he did, I'd forgotten." An amused chuckle. 

The rest of my team apparently watched some kind of history video he made, but I never did, or I'd have known who you were."

"I'm going to _kill_ Tommy next time I see him."

Trent laughed. "Tell me you wouldn't have done the same to him."

"True. I might have. Rocky definitely would. No, Rocky would have drawn it out for a week!" Adam laughed too. "Well, now that we've gotten the real introductions out of the way, let's get on to the important business."

"Gossiping about our fellow Rangers?"

"Of course!"

\--end--


End file.
